Atiku’s nationality: Falana mocks APC

By: Oliseama Okwuchukwu

Legal luminary, Femi Falana, lawyer, has mocked the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the nationality of Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice president.

He spoke at the weekend during a press freedom conference organized by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ).

Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are challenging Buhari’s re-election at the tribunal.

In April, the APC told the presidential Tribunal that Abubakar was a Cameroonian and not a Nigerian.

Against this backdrop, the ruling party insisted that the Wazirin Adamawa was not qualified to contest for the just concluded presidential election.

The former Vice President was born in Jada in 1946, in present day Adamawa state.

Reacting to the APC argument, Falana said it was an indictment on them for insisting Abubakar is originally from Cameroon.

According to him, the party had admitted that those who voted in his ward, including for President Muhammadu Buhari, are Cameroonians as well.

“If Atiku is a now Cameroonian, doesn’t that suggest that those who voted for President Buhari in his ward for the candidate are Cameroonian citizens too?” he asked.

The senior lawyer also decried the killings in various parts of the country, adding that they are signs of anarchy.

He said: “What the country is currently witnessing in terms of increasing violence, banditry and insurgency is a sign of anarchy.

“Since the 2019 elections have been concluded the duty imposed on the media is to ensure that political parties and elected officials are held accountable.

“All persons living in Nigeria including citizens by birth or naturalisation, dual citizens, foreigners, refugees and asylum seekers are entitled to adequate security and protection.”